Acqua di Parma Colonia Intensa is not a stronger, longer-lasting version of Acqua di Parma Colonia; Colonia Intensa is a brand-new fragrance. Colonia Intensa’s opening reminds me of Christian Dior Eau Sauvage, its mid-development recalls Annick Goutal Eau du Sud and its finish resembles Monsieur Balmain’s base notes. With such great precursors (and delicious-smelling ingredients), I found Colonia Intensa hard to resist…
As every serious Serge Lutens fan knows, every year, one fragrance from the “exclusive” collection (i.e., those that aren’t exported to the US) is selected as a limited edition addition to the “export” collection (i.e., those that are). These fragrances get packaged in the regular export bottle (i.e., the tall rectangle) instead of the bell jar you get in Paris, and they hang around until they sell out. Last year’s pick was Fumerie Turque; this year, we’re getting Chêne. I don’t know why it is never Iris Silver Mist or Tubéreuse Criminelle, but I keep waiting and hoping.
Chêne was launched in 2004, and described as “the comfort and magnitude of oak” (chêne is the French word for oak). It was developed by perfumer Christopher Sheldrake, and the notes include cedar crystals, wood sap, black thyme, immortelle, beeswax, silver birch, rum absolute and tonka bean. Chêne opens on the rum absolute and sweet green wood sap, lightly honeyed…
I am very fond of Amouage Gold (as fond as I’m willing to be given the price), and might be the only person who laments the passing of Amouage Ubar, but their more recent offerings have mostly left me cold. So when I read Luca Turin’s latest article in NZZ Folio, which talks about the recent launch of the line’s Jubilation fragrances and concludes…
To my relief both were very good. The feminine is a Diorella with tuberose. The masculine is a lovely incense composition, by Bertrand Duchaufour.
…I was dubious…
I love deep wood fragrances, the deeper the better. I’m trying to think of a fragrance with too much wood for my taste, and probably one exists but offhand I can’t think of what it would be. You can pile on the cedar or the redwoods or the sandalwood: bring it on, I’m happy. Few woods are deeper and richer than agarwood (aka aloeswood, and sometimes called oudh). Agarwood is now threatened in the wild due to overharvesting, and scarcity and high prices mean that much of the “oudh” used in incense and perfumery today is synthetic or adulterated to one degree or another…
Mainstream men’s colognes — a wearying bunch of scents that more often than not smell of “cold” citrus (harsh, metallic, faux citrus) floating on a sea of “marine” notes or buffeted by ozonic winds. This type of fragrance (apparently beloved by market research guinea pigs) rules the mainstream male perfume world and no matter how many interesting ingredients are mentioned in ad copy — May rose, myrrh, olive wood, hay, nasturtium, etc. — chances are, when you sniff a new men’s fragrance, you will detect only citrus, ozone or marine notes, a touch of wood, and a squirt of tepid musk. Boring, boring, boring.
When Gucci released Pour Homme in 2003, I was relieved to read its list of notes: white pepper, pink bay, ginger, papyrus wood, orris rhizome, vetiver, amber, white olibanum and leather — no citrus, no evocations of the shore or high altitudes…